[4-(n-Dimethylaminostyryl)-1-methylpyridinium fluorescence in a living cell]

A fluorescent compound 4-(p-dimethylinostyryl)-1-methylpyridinium (DSM) has been synthesized, having the absorption maximum about 450 nm and the fluorescence maximum about 590 nm in a water solution. A considerable increase of its fluorescence intensity is found in DNA solutions. The binding of DSM with membranes leads to a shift of its fluorescence maximum to 550 nm. Polychromatic properties of DSM (green fluorescence in membranes, rich yellow - in energized mitochondria, red-orange - in nuclei) are found in DSM stained cells. DSM fluorescence is sensitive to changes in the energized state of cells; the uncupler dinitrophenol or respiration inhibitors-cyanide and amital-cause a strong decrease in the DSM fluorescence intensity in mitochondria. It is ascertained that DSM itself has a low toxicity with respect to cell energy: it had no influence on the mobility of Tetrahymena pyriformis during 23 hours after staining. Thus, DSM may be used as a fluorescent probe for live cells.